Epps: A General Overview
Georgetown coach Ed Cooley tapped into his rolodex and solidified a commitment from a player he is quite familiar with. On Easter Sunday, Illinois transfer Jayden Epps announced he would prolong his career at Georgetown under Cooley.
Epps averaged 9.5 points as a role player at Illinois this past season. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound guard from Virginia showed promise with a 21-point game against Monmouth and a 17-point game against Minnesota, both wins, albeit his minutes were inconsistent and tailed off significantly during the final few games of the season.
Epps initially committed to Cooley-coached Providence two years ago, when he was a highly-touted four star point guard out of King's Fork (Suffolk, Va.), one ranked 92nd natonally, 18th among point guards in that class by Rivals.com.
He would later de-commit from Providence that spring, eventually deciding on Illinois over suitors such as Arkansas, Florida, NC State, Kansas, and UConn. The move did nothing to deteriorate his relationship with Cooley, who he has kept a rapport with through his time weighing the transfer market.
Epps was quickly sold on Cooley and his mission to return Georgetown to national prominence, following back to back dismal seasons in the Big East basement which ultimately led to the firing of program icon Patrick Ewing.
Epps talked about history and pride when he committed to Georgetown nearly a week ago. While Providence fans who once carried a torch proudly for one of the tiny city`s favorite sons were incensed with his decision to leave the situation with the Friars for a $6 million payday at Georgetown, the gravity of the decision may be lost on a lot of them: Cooley had a strong relationship with late and legendary Georgetown coach John Thompson, who he considered both a mentor and a friend.
Cooley bolted town and took a position at an in-conference foe to not only honor Thompson and his unparalleled legacy, but to revitalize a once prosperous and currently ailing program. It is a challenge he signed up for.
While Providence fans have expressed their displeasure and cited everything from aspects of Cooley's personal life to rumored infidelity in their unhinged social media rants, Cooley has wasted no time putting the wheels in motion. He has a significantly bigger recruiting resource to his advantage at Georgetown with the DMV area, and he used that to his advantage in bringing Epps close to home.